Documenting Their Lives, Telling Their Stories

Archive for November, 2008

Tonight I’m posting two lovely pictures of the Neust Family. These copies were given to my husband and I by his cousin Betty Budil who has done considerable research on the Neust Family, and has generously shared it with us. Thank you Betty!

Although the picture isn’t dated it was probably taken about 1888 as Anna Marie is still quite young (about four?) and she was the first of the Neust children to be born in America. Her birthdate was January 7, 1884.

Notice the elegant “setting” for this photograph which was no doubt taken in a studio.

The family of John Neust arrived in America somewhat later than many immigrants, arriving c. 1880. This is according to his Declaration of Intention to become a citizen of the U.S., filed July 16, 1884. John’s Declaration states that he will “renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign Prince, Potentate, State or Sovereignty whatsoever, and particularly to Wm. 1st, Emperor of Germany.”

The first five children of John and Anna Katherine (Rittenberger) Neust: (Henry, Joseph, John, Katherine and Elizabeth) were born in Germany while Anna Marie and Mary Carol were born in Akron, Ohio in 1884 and 1887 respectively.

Anna Marie Neust was married to Reuben Edminster in Summit County Ohio on August 6, 1902. Anna was 17 years old at that time, Reuben, 21. Anna Marie and Reuben were the parents of nine children:

Lillian Della Marie, dob March 20, 1902

George Shelby, dob April 5, 1904

Mildred Hattie, dob March 20, 1906

Florence Louretta, dob February 9, 1909

Clyde Dale, dob December 8, 1914

Esther Ellenor, dob July 11, 1917

Reuben Walter, dob March 18, 1925

Two others survive.

Even though the information on this family is a bit more limited than some of our other lines there are still stories to tell and these will be posted over the next few days and weeks. So keep tuned!

This beautiful little girl was my husband’s Mother, Beatrice Ruth Sherman, known as Ruth. Look at her ornate little stroller complete with a leg rest and beautiful back rest design. What a lucky little lady.

The Sherman Family, Ruth, Johannah and Will

Ruth looks to be about 12 years old in this picture of the family so we assume it was taken about 1919. Quite the young lady. Ruth married George Shelby Edminster and they were parents to my husband and his brother. Sadly, Ruth died of diptheria November 29, 1933 after the stillbirth of twins. My husband was just a little boy then but still remembers his Mother’s body being taken from their home.

Mr. Ed’s great grandmother, Susan Sherman who was a right prim and proper lady was fond of telling him the reason for her longevity was that she smoked a clay pipe and had a shot of whiskey every day. So was there truth to her statement or was she just having fun at his expense? We don’t really know, but we do know Susan lived to the age of 102 years!

Born in Arbela Township, Tuscola County Michigan on December 12, 1859 to Susan (Higley) and Solomon Leach, she grew up with brothers Alison and Grant, and sisters Vera and Mary. On March 28, 1880 she married a handsome young man named Moses Benjamin Sherman who had come “west” from Pennsylvania a few years earlier. Susan and Moses became parents to Martha, William and Murry.

William (Will) Sherman worked in the woods in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where he met and married Johannah (Josie) Hartwell, daughter of William Hartwell and Mary Jane Edgeworth. Josie and Will’s daughter Ruth was my husband’s Mother.

Like many other families the Shermans gradually moved westward. Moses worked for the railroad and the 1910 and 1920 Federal Census schedules show them settled in Drummond, Montana where he was a “Stationary Engineer” for the Northern Pacific Railroad. He retired in 1938. They lived in a log house next to the RR tracks and Susan said the local indians would come by regularly and she’d provide them with food; in return she was well liked and respected by them.

Moses, Susan and Martha Sherman near RR Water Tower

Moses & Susie by the Train

Their final move west brought the Shermans to Tacoma, Washington and it was there Susie lost her dear Moses on December 5, 1942.

Susie lived on and was active in the Violet Prairie Garden Club, Tacoma African Violet Society and Order of Eastern Star. She enjoyed quilt making and made many lovely quilts over the years.

The last time my husband visited her, Susie greeted him and told him to sit down a minute, that Moses was down at the barn, harnessing up the horses and would be back up to the house shortly. That was about two weeks before her death on July 3, 1962 at the age of 102.

But back to the clay pipe and shot of whiskey….. my husband did see the pipe but never actually witnessed her smoking it. As to the shot of whiskey… well, I guess some mysteries are never quite resolved.

Today I’m going to bounce back to the Leach family for just a bit. I’d asked cousin Dale Leach if he’d be willing to write a biographical sketch on the life of his great-great-grandfather, Sylvester Leach. Dale was indeed willing! So he’s started us off with this introductory version to whet our appetites and will create the “rest of the story” as time permits. Enjoy this lovely tidbit!

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JOURNEY TO PINE GROVE

“People will not look forward to posterity who will not look backward to their ancestors.”

And so it was on that cold, January day in 1979 when I first began my journey as my father & I trudged back through the snow-drifted, country cemetery in Michigan to find the grave of my great, great grandfather, Sylvester Leach, whom I was later to discover had been a Civil War veteran and a private in the 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. The occasion was my 31st birthday and I had recently developed an interest in family history, being a father myself with a 1 year old son, and was thus eager to learn more about my father’s family which had always been a great mystery as I grew up. Not the least of which was the perplexity of this man, whose posterity and long decayed remains, now lay frozen beneath my feet.

My avid interest in the Civil War did not originate on that winters day at Pine Grove Cemetery, but years before when I made a trip to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, with my parents and older brother, to visit some of my Mother’s relatives. As a nine year old: I vividly remember the wonderment I felt at first seeing the numerous Civil War battlefields & relics in an area which, unlike Michigan where I had grown up, was heavily touched by that great war 100 years before. How enthralled I was to hear the fearful family stories told of hated and much feared Federal troops who once burned and pillaged this beautiful valley that I now stood within as a wide eyed boy. Little did I realize then the great irony I was later to discover that my paternal great, great grandfather was among those marching with invading Union army of 1864 nor, quite simply: just how he would profoundly affect my life hence forward. A blessing this journey has been to my life since that cold winters day not only to have glimpsed the life of this admirable man, Sylvester Leach, but also the special people I have been privileged to meet along the way such as Lloyd A. Carr, Esther Starr Allen, Naomi Norton Blaine, and many, many more.